Self-supported device for guiding motions of a passive target system

This application is a continuing application of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/051,163 filed Oct. 27, 2020, which is U.S. National Stage Application of International application No. PCT/CA2019/050640 filed May 13, 2019, which claims priority from U.S. Patent Application No. 62/670,858 filed on May 13, 2018. The entirety of all the above-listed applications are incorporated herein by their reference.

This invention relates to a self-supported device for guiding motions of a load bearing system and a motion assistance system employing the self-supported motion guiding devices to assist motions of a target body.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

With respect to medical exoskeleton applications, an estimated 20,639,200 (7.1%) of non-institutionalized United States residents suffered from an ambulatory disability in 2013, while an approximated 2,512,800 (7.2%) of Canadians reported mobility disablements in 2012. These disabilities cost an estimated annual equivalent of $375 billion in family caregiver support, in addition to significant economic and social burdens to the patient and the healthcare system.

One emergent technology that aims to diminish this health problem and improve the quality of life for sufferers is the powered lower-body exoskeleton: wearable robotic systems that completely or partially support their user's weight and provide controlled guidance of leg movements, thereby allowing their user to stand and walk. This solution provides benefits over wheelchair use and other traditional means because it can also help reduce secondary complications of immobility such as pneumonia, blood clots, pressure sores, and lowered self-esteem. However, one major shortcoming of current exoskeleton technologies is a limited range of motion about the hip and ankle joints, which are both capable of three rotational degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) in the human body. In general, current technologies actively guide one degree-of-freedom (DOF) hip-centered movements with absent or only passive allowance for one or both of the other DOFs. This design scheme generally results in a serial joint structure within the exoskeleton device, which has an inherently lower pay load-to-weight ratio than a parallel structure counterpart. Therefore, this characteristic leads to bulkier than necessary devices. Furthermore, the instability that arises from kinematic restrictions on human joint capabilities often requires attendant use of walking crutches or a walker to maintain bodily balance while standing or moving. So, in order to safely operate the exoskeleton system, a user must coordinate motions with additional mobility aid using their upper body. The inconvenience and effort associated with this requirement causes fewer potential users from adopting the technology and altogether prevents other people from operating the devices who could otherwise benefit from the technology if not for this requirement.

In one aspect, a self-supported device for guiding motions of a target joint of a target body is provided. The device comprises a base structure, a motion generator, a motion transfer system, a load bearing system and a target body interfacing system. The load bearing system comprises a plate connected to the motion transfer and target body interfacing systems and a network of joints and links configured to constrain the plate to rotate in one, two or three dimensions about a center of rotation of the load bearing system. The position of the center of rotation of the load bearing system is adjustable by adjusting a connection point between the links. The plate of the load bearing system is connected to an adjustable target body interfacing system that is configured to be mounted to the target body such that the target body rotates with the load bearing system. The self-supported device further comprises at least one actuator and at least one driver in communication with the at least one actuator. A controller that comprises an input unit, an output unit and a processing unit sends output signals to command the at least one driver of the at least one actuator. The motion transfer system is connected to the motion generator at one end and to the load bearing system at an opposite end and is configured to convert the motions actuated by the at least one actuator to corresponding rotational motion at the load bearing system. The center of rotation of the load bearing system approximately coincides with a center of rotation of the target joint of the target body.

In another aspect, a motion assistance system is provided. The system comprises a self-supported device for guiding motions of a target joint and at least one additional joint system connected in series to the device for guiding motions to actuate at least one degree-of-freedom of the additional target joint. The at least one additional joint system is connected to the base structure or the plate of the load bearing system of the self-supported device such that a position of a connection between the plate and the additional joint system is adjustable. The motion assistance system further comprises at least one actuator to actuate at least one DOF and at least one driver in communication with the at least one actuator. A controller comprising an input unit, an output unit and a processing unit sends output signals to command the at least one driver of the at least one actuator.

In yet another aspect, the motion assistance system further comprises at least one additional self-supported device to allow motions of at least one additional target joint which comprises at least one additional actuator for actuating an additional at least one DOF. A controller is in communication with the at least one additional self-supported device and/or systems to coordinate their movements.

In addition to the aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and study of the following detailed description.

This invention discloses a self-supported device for guiding motions of a target joint that can provide positioning in regard to the up to three-dimensional orientation of a ball-and-socket joint or quasi ball-and-socket joint without causing undue stresses to a corresponding target body. The device is self-supported even when the target body is not attached to the rest of the system. Examples of a device for guiding motions of a 3-DOF target joint are described in co-pending international patent application with publication number WO17120680, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The prior patent application discloses examples of a motion guiding device with a motion generator and a motion transfer and target interfacing system that transfers the motions generated by the motion generator to a target joint so that the target joint moves with a 3-DOF motion about its own center of rotation. The motion guiding device disclosed in the prior application requires attachment to a target body (e.g. a user's leg or arm) in order to remain stable. For example, if the user is not wearing the device, the device will collapse/fall over. In addition, any loads that the prior art device is carrying, such as, for example, the weight of the actuators above the actuated target joint, could partially be transferred through the part of the user carrying the device (e.g. a leg of the user), potentially making the user's joint bear unwanted loads. The device of the present invention can be used in an exoskeleton system to create a virtual spherical joint at (approximately) the center of rotation of a biological human joint, allowing that joint to be positioned while also allowing the device to bear its own load without making use of the user's own physical structure. The device of the present invention can be placed in series with additional active joints so that more complex systems (i.e. for use in tracking/augmenting/actuating) pertaining to an entire limb (i.e. a leg or arm or any other limb) or multiple limbs can be achieved. It should be noted that while all of the embodiments mentioned above pertain to 3-DOF joints, an individual skilled in the art could see that this invention could apply to systems with fewer degrees-of-freedom (i.e. by replacing certain joints with rigid connections) without departing from the scope of the invention.

illustrates a self-supported devicefor guiding motions of a target system that comprises a 3-DOF motion generator, a motion transfer system, a target body interfacing systemand a load bearing system. The motion transfer systemis configured to provide decoupled or combined 3-DOF rotational motion or inaction to the load bearing system. The load bearing systemmay be any structure containing a 3-DOF rotational joint (e.g. a passive ball-and-socket joint), or a quasi-3-DOF rotational joint (e.g. a hip joint), or any other active or load bearing joint. The active target joint is defined as any target joint that has an ability to perform a 3-DOF rotational movement on its own without assistance of an external motion assistance device. For example, a human hip joint is an active joint since it can move on its own, however, in case when a person is incapable of producing motion (e.g. they are paralyzed) and the hip joint (or any other human joint) is only moved using a motion assistance device, then such a human joint can be considered to be a load bearing joint. So, in general, any joint capable of producing its own movement is considered active while a joint that is moved using some structure (e.g. actuators) is considered passive. In one implementation, the load bearing systemcan be a system of structures where the end point behaves as if it contains any of these aforementioned joints. This load bearing systemcan include a connection to a target body interfacing systemfor subsequent attachment to a target body(e.g. a human limb), which can also comprise any of the aforementioned joints. The target bodycan be a load bearing body, such as for example a limb of a disabled person who cannot move the limb on their own (i.e. without using a motion assistance system such as an exoskeleton) or can be an active or a partially-active target body. In one implementation, the target bodycan include a multibody system. The target bodycan rotate about a center of rotation that can be aligned with approximately the center of rotation of the load bearing system. If the position of the center of rotation of the load bearing systemand the target bodyare not exactly coincident, the connection between them can be made to be compliant/flexible/elastic so that the rotational motion of either load bearing systemor the target bodyis not inhibited due to such connection being overly constrained. While the various devices/systems are generally described as being with three degrees-of-freedom motions, a person skilled in the art would understand that the devices/systems can have (be reduced to) certain 2-DOF or 1-DOF applications by reducing actuation in either the motion generatorand/or motion transfer systemand/or the load bearing systemwith the option of removing appropriate passive joints (i.e. by creating rigid connections in their place) in the load bearing systemthat correspond to the reduction in the degrees-of-freedom, without departing from the scope of the invention.

The motion generatorcan provide actuation of the load bearing systemand any other attached body. The load bearing systemcan support any structural loads that may arise if the devicemust carry/bear/transfer any weight (or any other kind of load) from one end of the device to the other. This can allow the target bodyto be oriented without the threat of it being subjected to significant structural stresses at the joint due certain loads applied to the device. The motion generatorconveys mechanical action to the load bearing systemvia the motion transfer system, which physically supports the load bearing systemin some extent and converts action from the motion generatorto the desired movements of the load bearing systemand the target body. In other embodiments, actuators can be included in the motion transfer systemand/or the load bearing system, in which case these components may also contribute to the creation of motion at the load bearing systemand the target body. The target bodycan be connected to the load bearing systemvia a target body interfacing systemwhich may be rigid or compliant and transfers motion from the load bearing systemto the target body. The devicefurther comprises a control systemand a motion detection and feedback system. The control systemcan comprise one or more input/output units and a processing unit. The input unit can comprise for example a joystick/keyboard, a touch screen, a voice recognition unit or any other user interface to input any command/instructions/parameters while an output unit can comprise an actuator driver unit to send trigger signals to, for example, the motion generator. The control systemcan further comprise one or more microcontrollers, a power supply unit, a predefined signal processing unit for signal conditioning or signal filtering (e.g. filtering or calibrating signals obtained as an input), etc. For example, in one implementation, the control systemcan receive signals from an Electromyograph (EMG) and/or Electroencephalograph (EEG) as an input. The EMG is a device that is used to detect the electrical activity of the muscles and EEG is used to detect the electrical activity of the brain. The signals obtained from the EMG and/or EEG are processed by the processing unit of the control systemto determine the desired motion of the load bearing systemand then trigger signals are sent to the motion generatorto generate such motion. The EMG and EEG can be, for example, part of the motion detection and feedback system. The motion detection and feedback systemcan further comprise at least one of an inertial measurement unit, a rotary encoder sensor, a linear encoder sensor, a rotary potentiometer sensor, a linear potentiometer sensor, a resolver, a linear variable differential transformer, to detect a position and an orientation of the load bearing system, the target bodyand/or a position and an orientation of each of the involved actuators. The motion detection and feedback systemcan further comprise force/torque sensors to measure loads that are within the system or are applied externally and feed such signals as an input to the control system. The motion detection and feedback systemcan also comprise a machine vision device, e.g., a camera, to provide images of the external environment and can feed such images as an input to the control system. For the purposes of this application, the phases “motion generator”, “motion transfer system”, “load bearing system”, “target body interfacing system” or any similar phrases can describe both a type of system or the specific system in a particular embodiment under discussion depending on the usage.

illustrates the devicefor guiding motions of a target joint, such as a three degree-of-freedom (DOF) joint system approximately centered at point. For example, the devicecan be used as a hip joint exoskeleton module. An ergonomic and adjustable trunk orthoticcan be used to attach the deviceto the human body, for example adjacent to the hip joint, so that the devicecan be easily mounted for use or taken off when not in use. This is for illustrational purposes only and person skilled in the art would understand that the devicecan be used for guiding motions of any other human target joint (i.e. a knee, an ankle, a shoulder, a wrist, an elbow, a wrist, etc.) or any other target joint (i.e. a ball-and-socket spherical joint) without departing from the scope of the invention. Generally, rotary joints referred to in this figure and subsequent figures have one degree-of-freedom unless otherwise stated.

Attached to the trunk orthoticis the 3-DOF rotational motion generator that can comprise rotary actuatorsand. The rotary actuatorsandare rigidly supported by a base structureof the device. The actuatorconnects to a linkwhich then connects to an effectorvia a rotary joint. The actuatorconnects to a linkwhich then connects to a linkvia a rotary joint. The link, in turn, connects to the effectorvia a rotary joint. An actuatoris then mounted on the effector. The axes of rotation of the actuators-and the joints-all intersect at a pointand the resulting mechanism allows for a three degrees-of-freedom rotation (at the output of the actuator) about the point. The actuatoralso connects to a railwhich can move linearly with respect to a cassette, constituting a 1-DOF linear-motion joint (i.e. a prismatic joint). The cassetteis connected to a linkagewhich is connected to a linkvia a rotary joint. The link, connects to a platevia a rotary joint. The axes of rotation of the rotary jointsandintersect at a pointand allows two degrees-of-freedom rotation about the pointbetween the cassetteand the plate. For the purposes of this application, the term “plate” denotes a body or link and does not imply any particular geometry for this rigid body or link.

A linkis rigidly attached to the baseand a linkis rigidly connected to the link. The linksandcan be easily detached and a connection point between them altered by reconnecting them at a different position. For example, the connection between linksandcan be accomplished using removeable bolts or any other easily removeable fastener (connecting element). A linkis rigidly connected to the link, such that a connection point between linksandcan also be adjusted (i.e. similar to the connection point between linksand). A linkis attached to a linkwhich is, in turn, attached to a link. The connection point between linksandis also adjustable by a similar mechanism. Due to the adjustability between linksand,and, as well asand, the point of the connection of linksandcan be adjusted (within a particular range) in three dimensions with respect to the base. The linkis connected to a linkvia a rotary joint. The linkis then connected to a linkvia a rotary joint. The linkis connected to the platevia a jointwhose center of rotation passes through a point. The jointcan be a curvilinear joint that represents a portion of a circle whose center axis passes through a pointand performs the function of a rotary joint that is placed along and aligned to that center axis, so that jointdoes not interfere with a user body (e.g. target body) when the deviceis worn by the user. The axes of rotation of the joints,andall intersect at point, such that the structure consisting of the components-constrain the plateto rotate (in three dimensions) about the point. The plateis connected to an ergonomic and adjustable upper leg orthotic structurethat can allow an interface with a user's upper leg(see).

With respect to this embodiment of the device, the components-,are part of the motion transfer system, the components-,-are part of the motion generator, the components,-are part of the load bearing systemand the componentsare part of the target body interfacing system. The upper human leg, if the device were worn, would be part of the target body. A person skilled in the art would understand that any of the passive rotary or linear joints of the motion generatorand/or the motion transfer systemand/or the load bearing systemcan be replaced with active rotary/linear joints, such as for example rotary/linear actuators, without departing from the scope of the invention.

The structures,-of the load bearing systemconstrains the rotation of the plate(and also the orthoticof the target body interfacing system) to a rotation about the point, the position of which can be adjusted (i.e. via the alterable connections between the linksand,and, as well asand) to coincide with the quasi-spherical joint(see) of the target body. In the illustrated example, the structures,-of the load bearing systemare passive, however persons skilled in the art would understand that such structures can be active as described herein above. The structure of the device(i.e. the structure of the motion generator, the motion transfer system, the target body interfacing systemand the load bearing system) is stable and supported even when the target body interfacing systemis not anchored to an additional structure such as a human body (the target body). Using the load bearing system, additional loads (that may be unrelated to the movement of the target body) can be transferred though the load bearing systemwithout necessarily transferring them through the target body(i.e. the upper human leg) while still allowing the deviceto rotate as desired. The structure of the load bearing systemis designed such that it constrains the plate(and anything attached to plate) to rotation about the pointwithout needing to place any mechanical components at the pointitself (which can be located inside the body of the user wearing the deviceand, therefore, be inaccessible). In the case where the pointsandcannot be precisely aligned, the connection between the upper legand the orthotic structure(the target body interfacing system) can be compliant/flexible/elastic, so that the rotational motion of either deviceor the target bodyin not inhibited. Persons skilled in the art could understand that any other structure that provides a virtual point of rotation about 8 without interfering with a user's body could also be used as the load bearing systemwithout departing from the scope of the invention, and that for different applications, these spatial requirements (and the specific form of the structure) may vary. In the illustrated example of, the deviceis applied to the human hip joint, a person skilled in the art would understand that the devicecan be applied to any other human joints (i.e. ankle, knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist etc.) without departing or going beyond the scope of the invention.

Generally, while, for illustration purposes, three actuators are shown as part of the motion generator, for supporting the 3-DOF motion required by the virtual target joint(which can be at least partially aligned with the target body joint), the motion generator, the motion transfer system, and the load bearing systemcan collectively include at least three actuators to provide 3-DOF motion. The number of the actuators can be reduced via replacement by passive rotary or prismatic joints according to the number of DOFs of the load bearing systemthat do not require actuation. For example, in case where the load bearing system has one DOF motion the motion generator, the motion transfer system, and the load bearing systemcan collectively include one actuator. Any and all actuators of the motion generator, the motion transfer system, and/or load bearing systemcan be selected from an electric motor, a pneumatic motor, a hydraulic motor or any other motor or combination thereof with any combination (or absence) of gearhead. The purpose of the motion transfer systemis to connect and transfer motions between the motion generatorand the load bearing system(and, consequently, any connected target body) or, in some implementations, to contribute to the motion guiding device's actuation if one or more actuators are included in the motion transfer system.

As shown in, the rotary actuators-receive control signals from the control systemvia connections-respectively. Furthermore, sensors-are respectively attached to the rotary actuators-to provide information to the motion detection and feedback systemvia connections-. Additionally, a sensor packageprovides data to the motion detection and feedback systemvia a connection. The motion detection and feedback systemprovides information to the control systemvia a connection. When applicable, the control systemreceives and/or sends data to a similar controller of another devicefor coordinating the movements (e.g. two exoskeleton units could coordinate gait movements) via a connection. Connections may be wired or wireless depending on their function.

The control systemis in communication with the motion generatorand can trigger the motion generatorto achieve a desired action or inaction of the load bearing system(and potentially the target body) and can include a software execution commanding to trigger the actuators-via an appropriate driver subsystem. Additionally, the control systemcan be programmed to receive control signals from the electromyograph, electroencephalograph, or the instructions can be inputted directly via joystick, keyboard or other input unit, or the controller's software may be executed based on a predefined routine pre-programmed therein. Furthermore, the control systemcan receive input information from the motion detection and feedback systemthat interfaces with and monitors the load bearing system(and/or the target body) and the actuators-. The motion detection and feedback systemmay acquire information on the target joint's state using one or more inertial measurement units, rotary encoder sensors, linear encoder sensors, rotary potentiometer sensors, linear potentiometer sensors, resolvers, linear variable differential transformers, foot force/torque sensors, vision devices, etc., or a combination of the above. In one implementation, sensors of the motion detection and feedback systemcan interface with and monitor the position and/or orientation of the actuators-. In one implementation, the sensors of the motion detection and feedback systemmay detect the position and/or the orientation of the load bearing systemor the target body, in applications such as in identifying user's intention and/or to electronically store sensor readings for later transfer to a computer (controller) to collect error information and/or motion capture data. For example, the motion detection and feedback systemcan measure a position and/or orientation of the links and joints network and/or the plurality of actuators, as well as the forces/torques acting between the links and joints network and/or actuators and the forces/torques acting between the self-supported devicedevice and its environment.

show a motion assistance exoskeleton systemmounted to a user (as a target body). The motion assistance systemcan comprise two motion guiding devices,that are mounted on each side of the user (e.g. one per each leg of the user). Each of the devicesandcomprises a motion guiding devicethat is a hip joint exoskeleton module as the one described above with respect toand additional components. The motion guiding deviceis a subset of the motion guiding device/which is, in turn, a subset of motion assistance system. The additional componentscan be a knee joint exoskeleton module and an ankle joint exoskeleton module. The additional componentsextend the functionality with two additional actuated degrees-of-freedom so that the knee and ankle joints can also be positioned. As such, the devicesandtogether compose a lower body exoskeleton. The additional componentscan comprise a linkthat is rigidly connected to the plateof the device. A position of the attachment between the linkand the platecan be changed in a similar fashion as the adjustability of the connections between the linksand,and, as well asanddescribed herein above with respect to. The linkis rigidly connected to a link, such that a position of a connection can be changed. The linkis attached to an actuator. The output of the actuatoris connected to a link. The linkis rigidly connected to a link, such that the position of the connection between linksandcan be changed. The linkis rigidly connected to a link, such that the position of the connection can be changed. The linkis connected to an actuator. The output of actuatoris connected to an effector. Through the adjustable nature of the connections between the plateand the link, linksand, linksandas well as linksand, the motion guiding devicecan be adapted for use with various leg lengths and different positions of the knee/ankle axes of rotations. The motion detection and feedback systemof the motion guiding devices,can further comprise sensorsandwhich can be used to monitor the actuatorsand. Also, the control systemof the devices,can further comprise additional connections to the actuators,and the sensors,, so that they can be positioned along with the actuators-. The motion detection and feedback systemmay also have connections to additional sensors installed on any of the componentswhich may be used to monitor motion execution or interactions with the environment which could involve inertial measurement units, strain gauges, load cells, gyroscopes, vision units or any other type of sensor. The motion guiding devices,comprise two additional rotary joints in series with the deviceto actuate an additional two degrees-of-freedom for the knee and the ankle and create a useable full leg exoskeleton, however, a person skilled in the art would understand that other more complex joints could also be used in series with the deviceto accomplish this. For example, a similar devicecan be mounted at the ankle and/or the knee without departing from the scope of the invention. Persons skilled in the art would understand that the motion assistance systemcould be applied to other human limbs (or any other system composed of series of rotary or quasi-rotary joints) without departing from the scope of the invention. The passive components,-of the load bearing systemlocated at the hip joint allow certain externally applied loads, such as the weight of the device (or any similar load applied by the environment), to transfer through the load bearing systemto another point (e.g. the ground) without causing undue structural stresses on the user due to these kinds of loads. For the purposes of this application, and other relevant descriptions, the pointsandare considered to be aligned unless otherwise stated, although alignment may only be approximate in reality. For example, the weight of the actuators-while located above the hip jointwould not cause additional forces to be transmitted through the upper leg of the usersince the motion guiding device,is a self-supporting structure and can transmit forces to the ground through its own structure using the passive components,-of the load bearing system. The control systemof the deviceis in communication with a controller of the other deviceto synchronize and coordinate their movements. The two controllerscan identify a user's intention based on the information obtained from the respective sensors of the corresponding motion detection and feedback systemsand can then send the appropriate triggering signal to the drivers of the actuators of the respective motion generatorsto generate specific motions. In one implementation, the control systemof the first motion guiding devicecan be in communication with the motion generatorand the motion detection and feedback systemof the second devicesuch that a single control systemcan control the movement of the both motion guiding devices,

illustrates a motion assistance exoskeleton systemused as an aid device to help the user during walking operation. As depicted in, the respective coordinated actions-of the rotary actuators-generate a 3-DOF rotary motionof the output of the actuatorabout its center of rotation at pointthat does not coincide with the center of rotation of the hip jointor the center of rotation of the load bearing system(e.g. point). The railalso experiences a 3-DOF rotary motion about that point because it is attached to the output of the actuator. Motion of the railproduces synchronized responsesof the passive prismatic joint (consisting of the railwhich can slide along one axis relative to the cassette) as well as responsesandof the passive rotary jointsandrespectively. This results in synchronized responses,andof the passive rotary joints,andrespectively which constrains the movement of the plateand the orthoticto rotate about the point, which is adjustable via the mechanisms described in. The net result of these actions is responsewhich is a 3-DOF rotation of the plateand the orthoticabout pointas well as the rotation of the upper legabout the pointprovided that the pointsandare aligned. Additionally, the actuatorsandcan create responsesandat their respective locations providing a total of five DOFs at the effector(i.e. three DOFs from the hip joint and two DOFs from the knee/ankle joints), which is attached to the foot, allowing movement of the entire leg.

more clearly illustrates the correlation between actions of the actuators-of the motion generatorand corresponding motions and actions of the respective linkages and passive joints in regard to the load bearing systemand the target body. The combination of the motions-of the actuators-results in a motion responseby the load bearing systemabout point of rotation, which can be approximately aligned with the point of rotation of the user's hip joint(of the target body), in one or any combination of its 3-DOF rotation capabilities. The system of linkagesand, the passive rotary jointsandand the prismatic joint comprised of the sliding componentand the cassetteinterconnected as described herein above, in conjunction with the linkages-,,and the passive rotary joints,andalso interconnected as described herein above, provide the 3-DOF motion of the plateand the orthoticwith a center of rotation that coincides with the center of rotationof the load bearing system(and potentially the center of rotationof the target body), despite the fact that the center of rotationof the output of the actuatorof the motion generatordoes not coincide with the center of rotationsorof the load bearing systemor the target body, respectively. Thus, the motion generatorcan be mounted away from the hip and the motion transfer systemwill allow 3-DOF motion of the upper legabout pointwhen the center of rotationof the hip and the center of rotationof the load bearing systemare aligned and the human legis correctly attached to the orthotic(comprising the target body interfacing system). In the case where the rotary joints,andcannot be precisely aligned with the virtual spherical joint(point of rotation of the load bearing system), the attachment between the target bodyand the load bearing system(which comprises the target body interfacing system) can be compliant/flexible/elastic so that a rotational motion is not inhibited The same principle can apply to subsequent figures and with other embodiments where relevant. The motions-and the user's hip joint responseare all facilitated by the collective DOFs of the passive (or in some implementations active) rotary and/or prismatic joints. A person skilled in the art would understand that, instead of providing all three potential degrees-of-freedom of actuation (usually employing at least three actuators) in the spherical motion generatorof the deviceas shown in previous figures which, in, is a subset of the devicewhich is itself a subset of the system, actuation can be moved to various joints which are passive in the above mentioned embodiments shown in, such as in the motion transfer systemor the load bearing system, to also provide up to 3 DOFs of motion, without departing from the scope of the invention. In the case that actuation is moved from one or more joints considered active in, the actuator can be replaced with a passive joint or structure. In the event that all actuation is moved from the motion generatorto the motion transfer systemand/or load bearing system, the motion generatorwould be passive (would not contain any actuators) and motion would actually be generated in the motion transfer systemand/or load bearing systemrather than the motion generator, however, for the sake of consistency, the naming of the various systems will remain the same. A person skilled in the art would understand that embodiments of this kind are also within the scope of this application. If the motion generatoris passive, it nonetheless undergoes motion with the other system components as it is connected to the motion transfer systemwhich is, in turn, connected to the load bearing systemwhich undergoes motion with the target body. Also, the motion generator, regardless of whether it is passive or active, supports the motion transfer systeminsofar as it provides the connection point for the motion transfer systemon one side.

illustrates another embodiment of a devicefor guiding motions of 3-DOF load bearing joint systems while protecting the oriented body from certain external loads by allowing them to transfer through the device. In general, the illustrations (figures) presented in this application are not meant to depict (or restrict an embodiment to have) any special geometric relationships between joints (such as perpendicularity or parallelism) unless otherwise stated, although exceptions may occur. The motion guiding devicecomprises three rotary actuators-that are mounted to a base. The rotational output axes of these actuators-can be aligned coaxially with each other. The outputs of each of these actuators are attached to a set of proximal links. The linksconnect to a set of distal linksby way of a set of three 1-DOF rotary joints. The linksconnect to a moving plateby way of a set of three rotary joints. The moving plateis then rigidly connected to the link. The linkis connected to the linkby way of a rotary joint. The linkis connected to the linkby way of the rotary joint. The linkis rigidly connected to the cassettewhich is interfaced with the railwhich can move linearly relative to the cassettealong one axis, forming a passive prismatic/linear joint. The railis rigidly connected to the linkwhich is, in turn, rigidly connected to the plate. A rotary jointis connected to the baseby way of a link. The rotary jointis then connected to a linkthat is connected to a linkvia a rotary joint. The linkis connected to the plateby way of a curvilinear joint, which functions as a rotary joint about the axis. A spherical jointis positioned relative to the baseby way of an offset. The spherical jointis then rigidly connected to the linkby the link. The interfaceis then connected to the plate. The rotary joints of sets,and the actuators-have axes of rotation that intersect at the point, around which the platerotates. Also, the rotary joints,andhave axes of rotation that intersect at the center of spherical joint. With respect to this embodiment the components-,-are part of the motion generator, the components-are part of the motion transfer system, the components-are part of the load bearing systemand the componentsare part of the target body interfacing system. The components,,are part of the target bodywhich is to be rotated and which has a center of rotation that is coincident with the center of rotation of the load bearing system. The target bodycan be, for example, the upper human leg attached to the pelvis via a quasi-spherical joint. In the case where the center of intersection of the rotary joints,andcannot be precisely aligned with the spherical joint, the attachment between the target bodyand the load bearing system(comprising the linkbeing the target body interfacing system) can be compliant/flexible/elastic, so that the rotational motion is not inhibited (the same principle can apply to any embodiment where relevant). As a note, a person skilled in the art would understand that if the components,,composing the target bodywere removed, the remainder of the system would still be structurally complete. Similar to previous embodiments, this embodiment involves connections from the actuators-to the control systemand connections from the relevant sensors to the motion detection and feedback system. In regard to the configuration of the prismatic joint, the linkconnects to the cassette, which forms a joint with the rail, which is then connected to the link. However, the components can be ordered such that the linkconnects to the rail, which forms a joint with the cassette, which then connects to the link(thus reversing the ordering of the cassette and rail). Under this scheme, the joint formed by both the railand cassetteretains its functionality of allowing linear motion. A person skilled in the art would understand that such a swapped configuration is within the scope of the application and, moreover, this principle regarding the ordering of the cassette and rail can apply to any other embodiment, and additional embodiments arising from the application of this principle are also within the scope of the application.

A person skilled in the art could understand that different motion generatorscan be used with different motion transfer systemsand/or load bearing systemsin combinations that may not be exhaustively displayed in this application and that any and all such combinations are within the scope of the application. Additionally, in other implementations, the passive joints in the motion transfer systemand the load bearing systemcan be replaced with active target joints, that is, the actuation can be moved to one or more of the joints that may be considered passive. Correspondingly, joints which are considered active in certain embodiments can be replaced with passive joints provided that the there are other active joints sufficient to provide the necessary DOFs of motion (this principle can apply to any embodiment). A person skilled in the art could understand that in any combination of motion generation system, motion transfer systemand load bearing systemthere are many possible actuator placements (in regard to the selection of joints for actuation) that can yield motion guiding functionality and that any and all such combinations are also within the scope of this application. Additionally, while the embodiments described in this document generally describe systems for guiding three DOFs of motion, embodiments can be modified to instead actuate fewer degrees of freedom possibly involving replacing certain joints (generally in the load bearing system) with rigid connections and by modifying the number and location of actuators accordingly. This principle can apply to any embodiment mentioned in this application (whether it is explicitly shown or mentioned as being within the scope of the application) and a person skilled in the art would understand that any embodiments resulting from the application of this principle are also within the scope of this application. Certain of these statements regarding alternative embodiment configurations may be made in relation to particular embodiments for illustration purposes and this is not meant to limit the scope of the application. Also, the omission of any of these statements regarding alternative embodiment configurations in relation to a particular embodiment is not intended to necessarily indicate that any of these statements regarding alternative embodiment configurations do not apply.

In all of the illustrated examples of the devices for guiding motions of target joints (e.g.,and) or the motion assistance systems, the actuators and/or their drivers are mechanically connected into such devices/systems, however one can understand that such actuators and/or drivers can be remote from such devices/systems (e.g. can be placed in a backpack carried by a user) and the motion of the actuators can be transferred to where it is needed by pulley-cable system and the driver signals can be transferred by a wire or wirelessly. The actuators can be selected from an electric motor, a pneumatic motor, a hydraulic motor or any other motor or combination thereof.

illustrates another embodiment of a devicefor guiding motions of 3-DOF joint systems while protecting the oriented body from certain external loads by allowing them to transfer through the device. The motion guiding devicecomprises a basewhich is connected to a spherical jointwhich is connected to a railvia a link. The railcomprises one side of a linear actuator. The output of the actuatoris connected to a rotary jointvia a link. The rotary jointis connected to a rotary jointvia a link. The rotary jointis, in turn, connected to a platevia a link. There is another similar arm of the device which first consists of a spherical jointconnected to the base. This jointis connected to a railvia a link. The railcomprises one side of a linear actuator. The output of the actuatoris connected to a rotary jointvia a link. The rotary jointis connected to a rotary jointvia a link. The rotary jointis, in turn, connected to the platevia a link. Also, there is a 1-DOF rotary jointconnected to the basewhich, in turn, connects to a linkthat is connected to a linkby way of a rotary joint. Connected to the rotary jointis a rotary actuator. The rotary jointsandas well as the actuatorintersect at a common point. The output of the rotary actuatorconnects to the platevia a link. The platevia a linkconnects to a railwhich can move relative to a cassettealong one axis forming a passive prismatic joint. The cassetteis rigidly connected to a linkwhich is connected to a linkvia a rotary joint. The linkis connected to a linkvia a rotary joint. The linkalso connects to a plate. The components,-compose the load bearing system, componentcompose the target body interfacing system and components-compose the target body, respectively, and are of a similar structure to device illustrated in. In this embodiment, the components-are part of the motion generatorand the components-are part of the motion transfer system. The primary difference of the deviceillustrated infrom the previously described motion guiding devices,,is in the structure of the motion generator. In the motion generatorshown in, the platecan rotate (with three DOFs) around the intersection point of the rotary joints,and the actuator. In the motion guiding device, the actuators,,allow for 3-DOF positioning of the load bearing systemand the target body(via the target body interfacing system). A person skilled in the art would understand that the motion guiding devicedepicted in(and/or the motion guiding deviceof) can be used in a motion assistance system, as shown in, in place of the device, or as a system/subsystem of other such motion assistance systems without compromising its positioning functionality or its ability to transmit load.

illustrates a motion guiding deviceshowing a mechanical structure of one embodiment for the motion transfer system. As already mentioned herein above, the motion transfer systemis used to transfer the 3-DOF motions generated by the motion generatorto the load bearing system(or contribute to the actuation of the load bearing systemif the motion transfer systemincludes actuators). In the illustrated embodiment of, the 3-DOF motions are transferred from one spherical joint or a joint system(which may be any joint or joint system capable of 3-DOF rotational motion in the case that three DOFs of the target bodyshould be active) to another spherical joint such as a joint systemand the load bearing system. In such case, the joint or joint systemrepresents the 3-DOF motion generator, the components,-represent the load bearing system, the components-represent the target body(or the joint system) and the componentrepresents the target body interfacing system. The load bearing system, target body interfacing system, the motion transfer systemand the target bodydepicted inare similar to those depicted in. The motion transfer systemcan in part comprise a linkageconnecting the motion generator(the joint system) to a rotary joint. Another linkageconnects the rotary jointto another rotary jointwhich is connected to a prismatic jointvia a linkage. Another linkageconnects the prismatic jointto the load bearing systemand, by extension, the attached target body. In, the linkages are not meant to depict any special geometric relation between joint axes (e.g. perpendicularity, parallelism, etc.) except that the rotary jointand the rotary jointhave parallel axes and thus form a four-bar mechanism with all adjacent linkages.

illustrates a motion guiding deviceshowing another embodiment of the motion transfer systemwhere the adjacent rotary jointsanddo not have parallel axes. For example, the rotary jointsandcan have perpendicular axes and the two adjacent rotary joints may or may not be combined to form a 2-DOF universal joint. In the illustrated example, the linkcan have zero (or close to zero) length. Combining the joints by this method can achieve a more compact mechanical structure for the motion transfer system. The motion generator, load bearing system, target body interfacing systemand the target bodydepicted inare similar to those depicted in.

illustrates a devicewith a motion transfer systemsimilar to that ofexcept that the position of the rotary jointand the prismatic jointhave been swapped (the motion generator, load bearing system, target bodyand target body interfacing systemhaving remained the same) in order to create a more compact mechanical structure for some applications. Like the motion transfer systemillustrated in, the linkages illustrated inare not meant to depict any special geometric relation between joint axes (e.g. perpendicularity, parallelism, etc.).

illustrates a motion guiding deviceshowing a motion transfer systemsimilar to that ofwith the placements of the rotary jointand the prismatic jointbeing swapped, the other elements of the motion generator, the load bearing system, target body interfacing systemand the target bodyhaving remained the same.

each illustrate devicesand(respectively) that include a motion transfer system(the motion generator, load bearing system, target bodyand target body interfacing systemhaving remained the same) similar to that of(respectively) where the length of the respective linkage,is zero. With respect to the motion transfer systemof, the axes of the rotary jointand the prismatic jointare parallel, and the rotary jointand the prismatic jointare combined as a cylindrical jointto increase the compactness and simplicity of the mechanical structure. Similarly, with respect to the motion transfer systemof, the axes of the rotary jointand the prismatic jointare parallel, and the rotary jointand the prismatic jointare combined as a cylindrical jointto increase compactness and simplicity of the mechanical structure.

depicts an example of a devicewhich is similar to the devicefor guiding 3-DOF motions of the target bodyofexcept that the placement of the rotary actuatoris moved between the base structureand the rotary actuatorsand(the motion transfer system, load bearing system, target bodyand target body interfacing systemhaving remained the same). Attendant to this adjustment is the introduction of a linkage, which connects an output shaft of the rotary actuatorto both rotary actuatorsand.

depicts an example of a devicefor guiding 3-DOF motions of the target bodysimilar to that illustrated inexcept that the placement of a curvilinear jointhas been moved such that it is located above (closer to the base) the two rotary jointsand(the motion generator, the motion transfer system, target bodyand target body interfacing systemhaving remained the same). In this embodiment, the axes of rotation of the joints,and the curvilinear jointstill intersect at the spherical joint. This configuration requires the addition of a linkto connect the curvilinear jointand the rotary joint.

depicts an example of a devicefor guiding 3-DOF motions of the target bodysimilar to that illustrated inexcept that the placement of the curvilinear jointhas been moved such that it is between the rotary jointand the rotary joint(the motion generator, the motion transfer system, target bodyand target body interfacing systemhaving remained the same). In this embodiment, the axes of rotation of the joints,and the curvilinear jointstill intersect at a point that is coincident with the spherical joint.

depicts a motion guiding devicesimilar to that of(the motion generator, the load bearing system, target bodyand target body interfacing systemhaving remained the same) except that the prismatic jointhas been replaced by a rotary joint. In, the linkagesandare not meant to depict any special geometric relation between the axes of rotary joints,and. A person skilled in the art would understand that the adjacent joint pairsandand/orandcan have orthogonal and intersecting axes, to thus form a universal joint, without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

A person skilled in the art would understand that motion guiding devices depicted in any of thecould also be used as a component in the motion assistance systemin place of the device, without compromising its positioning functionality or its ability to transmit load.

In one implementation, any of the motion guiding devices disclosed herein can be used as components of a motion assistance system, such as an exoskeleton, that can be used to move the joints and the body segments of a user. The motion assistance system can comprise at least two of the motion guiding devices in communication with each other or any other joint to generate a coordinated movement of two or more different joints and body segments (targets). For example, a single controller can be used to control the movement of the two or more motion guiding devices,interconnected to form the motion assistance system. Additionally, if these motion guiding devices are attached rigidly, or by another self-supporting structure, the loads can be transmitted from one point on one mechanism to another point on a connected mechanism without necessarily transferring these loads through the body of a user. For example, in the event that several motion guiding devicesare interconnected (as previously described) to actuate the arms and legs of a user, the weight of an object carried at the “hand” (referring to the manipulator arm of the exoskeleton as opposed to the user) of the exoskeleton device can potentially transfer this load to the ground without excessive load being transferred through the user's own body (reducing the possibility of damage to the user). The controller can identify user's intention based on the information obtained from the sensors of the motion detection and feedback systems and can then send the appropriate control signal to the drivers of the actuators of the motion generators, the motion transfer systems and/or load bearing systems (in cases where the motion transfer systems and/or load bearing systems include at least one actuator) to generate a specific motion. The input to the controller might be from the user's nervous system (e.g. via electroencephalograph), a voice recognition unit, feet contact force, a tracking system that can, for example, detect a predetermined head motion or eye tracking, etc. The controller can also use sensors (e.g. IMU sensors) input data to detect the balance of the user and to maintain it by providing proper triggering commands to the actuators. In one embodiment, the motion assistance system (i.e. the exoskeleton) can be equipped with an airbag or an active cushion system that can be deployed upon fall detection. The airbag can use conventional chemical reactions for inflation or can use other reversible methods such as compressed air, high speed fans, or compressible soft materials such as polyurethane foam. Any actuator, can be electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, etc. In case of electric actuators (e.g. electric motors), the motion assistance system (exoskeleton) can be battery powered and can be equipped with a battery and a power management circuit board. The motion assistance system can be configured to move the user to a safe body position, such as sitting or lying down, in case of emergency.

In one embodiment, the components of the exoskeleton can be rearranged to convert it to a motion guiding system for positioning another structure. One example of such application can be an orthopedic surgical system to assist a surgeon to position limbs in a desired orientation. The motion guiding device can be single device,or a combination of two or more of such devices,that are in communication or interconnected together. The motion guiding device can be fixed to an external fixture so that the moving platform (e.g. moving platein) of the actuators can be connected to the structure to be positioned via the motion transfer systemand the target body interfacing system. The desired position of the structure can then be achieved by commanding the system's actuator via its controller.

In another implementation, the motion assistance system of the present invention can be employed as a robotic rehabilitation tool. For example, a physiotherapist can secure a patient to the motion assistance exoskeleton system using straps (or any other attachment method) in order to support the weight of the user and can then program the exoskeleton to help patients' limb(s) through some repetitive exercises.

In one implementation, only one motion guiding device,can be used instead of the lower limb exoskeleton, for example for ankle rehabilitation purposes. The therapists can monitor the progress of patients on site or remotely by receiving the processed data from the exoskeleton's controller. The data can be accessed by direct log into the controller or the data can be transferred to the therapists via wired/wireless data transfer. The therapist can also remotely modify the exercise set-up based on patients' progress.

In one implementation, the motion assistance system (e.g. which may include a modified form of any of the devices,) can be used as a motion capture device. The system can comprise a first motion guiding device for detecting and/or guiding motion of a first target joint and at least one additional motion guiding device for detecting and/or guiding motion of another target joint. The motion capture system is secured to a user using mounting means such as, for example, straps and orthotics. In this aspect, the actuators of the motion generator and the motion transfer system (if any) may or may not be present. For example, the actuators can be replaced by sensors, e.g. encoders, linear/rotary potentiometers, etc., and a kinematic algorithm programmed in the controller can use the data to calculate the accurate orientation of the human target joints and the body segments' position. The user can produce a motion to any or all of the joint targets and the plurality of sensors can detect such motion (produced by the user) by measuring the motion (i.e. position and orientation) of the passive joints of the motion capturing system.

Alternatively, in another embodiment, the active joints of the motion guiding devices,and the controller(s)may not be omitted (in comparison to the previously described motion capturing system) and the devicecan communicate with an external Virtual Reality (VR) or an Augmented Reality (AR) system. An additional controller can be in communication with the first motion guiding and detecting device and the at least one additional motion guiding and detecting device to coordinate guidance of the multiple targets. The motion detection and feedback system(s) can be in communication with the external virtual or augmented reality systems. In this case, the actuators do not create any resistance until the user tactilely contacts something in the virtual or augmented reality environment, at which time the actuators engage to emulate a tactile response (e.g. force feedback) to a virtual entity. For example, this embodiment can be applied in the gaming industry where a gamer may need to have a better interaction with the environment. The controller can be pre-programmed to command the actuators to resist motions in certain directions/orientations or to apply forces in certain directions/orientations. The motion guiding device,can also be used in training applications, such as sports, where inaccurate/incorrect motions will be restricted while the accurate/correct motions will be facilitated (or not interfered) by the exoskeleton.

In another embodiment, the actuators can be replaced by lockable joints. In this arrangement, an operator can manually move the structure to be positioned until the desired position is achieved while the motion guiding device is attached. The actuators will not create any resistance against the motion until the desired position is reached. The operator can then lock the lockable joints to maintain the position.

In another embodiment, the full body exoskeleton or its subcomponents, e.g. hip subcomponent, can be used as a fall prevention or balance recovery device, where the controller can comprise a fall detection algorithm which can monitor the user's gait and balance via signals received from sensors, such as one or more encoders, IMU systems, foot force sensors etc. The controller will then command the exoskeleton or its subcomponents to force the lower body to move into a position which increases the balance stability of the user. The system can be active or passive during other normal mobility actions.

In another embodiment, the full body exoskeleton or its subcomponents, e.g. hip subcomponent, can be used as a motion augmentation device, where the controller can comprise a user intent detection algorithm which can monitor the users activity/input via signals received from sensors, such as one or more encoders, IMU systems, foot force sensors, EMG sensors etc. The controller will then command the exoskeleton or its subcomponents to assist the lower or upper body in performing particular motions. The system can be active or passive as needed for a particular action.

While particular elements, embodiments and applications of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it will be understood, that the scope of the disclosure is not limited thereto, since modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. Thus, for example, in any method or process disclosed herein, the acts or operations making up the method/process may be performed in any suitable sequence and are not necessarily limited to any particular disclosed sequence. Elements and components can be configured or arranged differently, combined, and/or eliminated in various embodiments. The various features and processes described above may be used independently of one another or may be combined in various ways. All possible combinations and sub-combinations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. Reference throughout this disclosure to “some embodiments,” “an embodiment,” or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, step, process, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in some embodiments,” “in an embodiment,” or the like, throughout this disclosure are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment and may refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments.

Various aspects and advantages of the embodiments have been described where appropriate. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such aspects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, it should be recognized that the various embodiments may be carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other aspects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without operator input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment. No single feature or group of features is required for or indispensable to any particular embodiment. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like are synonymous and are used inclusively, in an open-ended fashion, and do not exclude additional elements, features, acts, operations, and so forth. Also, the term “or” is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used, for example, to connect a list of elements, the term “or” means one, some, or all of the elements in the list.

The example results and parameters of the embodiments described herein are intended to illustrate and not to limit the disclosed embodiments. Other embodiments can be configured and/or operated differently than the illustrative examples described herein.